Records show police were called to the school at 12:30 p.m. on April 11 for a report of a "possibly intoxicated teacher." School officials said the teacher was placed on administrative leave the next day and remains off duty.

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"I can't discuss any specifics with how the incident was handled," said Ron Lesko, a district spokesman. "School district personnel handled the matter within the building and did not require police assistance."

A person familiar with the matter said that after school officials noticed the teacher appeared intoxicated they tried to call a police "resource officer" who is assigned to the middle school. That officer was not available and a school official then contacted Jack Grogan, a former Albany detective who handles security for the district. Grogan called the police department and at least two officers, including a sergeant, went to the school, the source said.

The officers met with Wilkins and were told that the school would handle the matter; they did not interview the teacher.

A police spokesman said he could not say whether officers were given the teacher's name or were prevented by the principal from seeing the teacher.

"We spoke with the principal at the school; it was determined there was nothing criminal in nature and that it would be handled as a personnel matter with the school," said Stephen Smith, an Albany police spokesman. "All I can say is that we did go there."

It's unclear whether school officials or police officers tried to determine if the teacher had driven herself to work that day, or when or how she allegedly became intoxicated.

"Speaking in general, if a teacher comes to class not in a condition to teach, that is not acceptable," Streznewski said. "Is it the practice of the district to interfere with the police doing their job? Clearly that is not the practice of the district. ... I'm hesitant to reply to this only because I have not heard from the principal."

Under state regulations, neither the school district nor police were required to report the incident to a child-abuse hotline run by the state Office of Children and Family Services, because the incident did not involve a parent, guardian, daycare worker or a person "legally responsible" for a child. Rather, if there was an endangerment issue, it would have been a criminal or disciplinary matter, officials said.

The district spokesman said "at no time was the safety of any of our students jeopardized that day by this situation."

A district policy that prohibits "use of controlled substances or alcohol while on property or premises owned by the district."